I wanted to send out a great big thank you to Guru and all the other folks that made it to Training Camp and have been gracious enough to report on it.  The information has been great and the reports have been in great detail.  I'm on the East Coast and nowhere else can I (we) get this kind of info that we get from MHR.  DB does pretty good but not nearly as good as here.  You guys at the very least deserve a post directed to you to say thank you.  Keep up the good work and let us know when our two 1st rounders get there and how they look.

I've been thinking about this for a long time and have been meaning to ask all of you.  Finally I'm getting around to it.  My question is, who is your one guy picked in the 1st round of this past draft that you are convinced will be an absolute bust.  I'll tell you my guy but first I want to say I didn't pick the obvious choice Darrius Heyward-Bey for a couple reasons.  First, he is a WR and they seem to bust more than any other position so it wouldn't really be a surprise.  Second, saying he is going to be a bust is like saying you would burn to death if you poured gasoline all over you and struck a match.  So who is my guy you ask???

Andre Smith.  OT.  Cincinnati Bengals

His last year with Alabama, he was suspended for his Bowl game against Utah for messing around with different agents or something.  He showed up to the combine totally out of shape.  I saw a couple interviews with him and he seemed to laugh it off.  My feeling is he has a bad attitude, is lazy, and has no interest in winning.  Once he starts facing NFL men instead of college boys, he will tuck his tail and run.

So I went to the movies the other night and saw one of the funniest movies I've ever seen in my life.  "The Hangover".  I am a fan of great comedic movies and this one is flat out great.  You guys have to see this movie.  If you have seen it, let me know what you think.  After the movie, I got to thinking what were my all time favorite comedies.  "The Hangover" is definitely at the top of the list now.  I think the thing that makes it so great is the whole movie is laugh out loud, and on top of that, the last 2 minutes of the movie is the funniest part.  

This has been done here before but it's been a while.  Here is my top 5 list in no particular order.  I hate to do only 5 movies because I am leaving so many good ones out.  Also, my mind will change tomorrow and I would have to take 1out to add another.  But I'll keep it to 5 to save time.  I would love to see your top 5.

The Hangover

The Jerk

Dumb and Dumber

Old School

Wedding Crashers

I was thinking about this the other day and wanted to get some feedback.  In case you are not aware, August 30 is when the Chicago Bears and their shiny new Quarterback comes to town.  I know it's only preseason, but it is the 3rd preseason game so all the starters should play a lot.  I was wondering how you would or will react when Cutler comes running on the field.  I won't be going to the game but of course would love to be there to see the reaction.  I assume it will be a lot of boos as it should be.  How about the old newspaper trick every time the Bears are on O.  I just hope the fans keep it civil.  Do you have any ideas?   

Let me start by apologizing for going back to the Jay Cutler trade.  I felt compelled to ask this question though.  This past weekend I played golf with a friend who is a San Diego Chargers fan.  I know.  Cats and dogs living together.  But he brought up what I thought was a good point and I wanted to get the feedback of the MHR faithful.  Was Phyliss right about giving Cutler such a hard time and did Jay provoke it?  I know that even if he was right, it still does not excuse him for being a punk.  I know it will not change our minds about him.  But maybe Jay deserved it.  Maybe we got rid of a punk of our own.  Anyway, that is an attempt for a positive spin on the trade for us.   I would appreciate some comments.

BTW.  My friend told me the Chargers organization was extremely embarrassed and disappointed in Phyliss for the whole event.  And if anything ever happens again like that, Phyliss will be facing several harsh, under the table fines.

I am totally fascinated with the draft and have been for years.  To me it's like Christmas in April.  So I have been checking out a lot of the mocks and most of them have us taking either Ray Maualuga or B.J. Raji with the 12th pick.  I really like both guys and a great argument could be made for either guy.  The quick point I have for each guy is this:  Ray Maualuga could be the LB we have been needing since Al Wilson went down.  B.J. Raji could be the NT we so desperately need for the 3-4 to be successful.  So let me hear it from you guys.  If you were picking for the Denver Broncos, you choose...

I have tried to do a poll but am not smart or patient enough.

btw. great sight for checking mocks www.hailredskins.com/MockDraft.htm

So I was laying in bed last night thinking about my beloved Broncos.  I was thinking I would post my thoughts on here.  Kinda scary huh?  I was laying in bed thinking of you guys.  Relax.  It ain't like that.  Your thought s on my thoughts would be greatly appreciated...

1.  I think I'm ok with the Shanahan firing.  Initially I was really upset since I am a huge "Shanafan".  Now that I've had time to think about it and throw some positive spins on it, I think we will be alright.  Maybe Mike's message had gotten stale.  I don't want to say the players needed fresh ideas or anything like that.  Most players get that stuff all the time.  1/3 of most rosters get turned over every year and Denver is definitely in that most group.  I'm guessing the message got stale to Pat Bowlen. 

2.   I think Pat Bowlen took a  HUGE  gamble firing Shanahan  to get McDaniel.  Yes I think he wanted McDaniel the whole time.  I hate to be a conspiracy theorist but that is what I'm thinking.  Pat Bowlen saw a younger version of Mike Shanahan working in New England and wanted him really bad.  With the 3 mediocre years in a row for his team, his decision was easier to make.  I'm guessing he did not have a plan B for a coach if he didn't get his guy.  I'll just say he would have hired a defensive guy so the fans wouldn't burn his house down.

3.  I think hiring a defensive guy like Spagnoulo or Frazier or the Tampa guy would have been a mistake.  We have fantastic personnel on the offensive side of the ball.  That is the strength of this team.  On defense, we have basically what amounts to 2 excellent players, some average players,  and the rest is garbage.  Tony Dungy was brought in to build the D in Indy.  They have, for the most part, had bad defenses since he has been there.  Brian Billick was brought in to Baltimore to build the offense.  They, for the most part, had bad offenses.  While both of these coaches won Superbowls, it was not because of what they specialize in.  I don't really know where I'm going with this.  These 2 guys may be bad examples.  I just think Pat made the right decision hiring Josh McDaniels.

4.  I think part of the reason for hiring McD was to hopefully make Jay Cutler play more like Tom Brady.  I love having Jay at the helm.  His physical tools put Tom Brady's to shame.  Tom Brady's mental tools put Jay Cutler's to shame.  Oh my freaking God can you imagine the possibilities if Jay Cutler had the ability to find the open guy like Brady does.  McD has to be drooling.  I think he knows Cutler easily has the mental tools to play like Brady.

5.  I think our defense will be bad for a long time.  It comes down to players and we don't have them.  We need d-line, we need d-line, we need d-line!  I don't care if we bring in Jesus Christ to coach the D.  Without players, it ain't gonna work!  We need d-line, we need d-line, we need d-line!   Did I mention we need d-line?

6.  I think Jarvis Moss will be out of the NFL in 2 years.  He will play for us next year and again do nothing.  He will be released and someone will pick him up and again do nothing.  He will be released again and done.  Believe you me.  I'm not happy about it.  I will be more than happy to eat crow on this one.

7.  I think our d-line is an absolute joke.  O-lines have to look forward to playing our d-line.  I'm still holding out hope on Marcus Thomas, but everybody else is a back-up on other teams.  I like Engleberger being that he is a fellow Hokie, but he is a back up.   Ebenezer is a past his prime player whose prime was just ok.  He is a back up.  DRob is alright.  He is a back up.  Our d-line is full of basically back up players with only 1 with potential.  And I don't think it's star potential.  He has potential to be better than a back up.  Did I mention we need d-line?

8.  I think we need a nice, quiet, uneventful, everybody forget about him, off-season from Brandon Marshall.

9.  Cutler, Sheff, and Marshall need to go back to Florida this summer and work out together again.  Eddie, you are invited too.

10.  As much as I hate the MSM and the disrespect they show the Broncos, they are right.  With the exception of 2005, we have done nothing since 1999.

11.  We don't need anymore running backs!  I've read some people on here saying we need to draft a durable RB.  They break down.  Period.  You treat a running back like an outlaw treats his horse.  You ride that nag till it drops!

12.  Mike Shanahan and the Broncos have been snake bit by injuries more than any team the last 3 years.  I have no facts to back that up, but it HAS to be true.  A testament to the greatness of Shanahan.

13.  Did I mention we need d-line?

I didn't see the Carolina -Tampa game last night, but judging from the stats and the score, Carolina totally dominated.  All year we have been singing the praises of Ryan Clady and Ryan Harris and with very good reason.  They have been nothing short of spectacular!  This coming Sunday our two star tackles will be going against a certain Mr. Julius Peppers.  I'm not sure who will see more of him, Ryan or Ryan, but it will be a huge test for Ryan to pass.  HT can hopefully shed some light on which Ryan will be facing Peppers the most and who is on the other side that could create some havoc.

For the past several weeks we have been singing the praises of our improved run defense and with good reason.  It has definitely been getting better each week.  You want to talk about a test?  Oh baby, we got one Sunday in Carolina.  They have a beast of an O-line and two fantastic Running Backs.  I am hoping we don't come out of this game totally discouraged about our improved run defense.

The first test I am not so worried about.  I truly believe the Ryans (and Co.) will take care of business as they have all year.  Of course with Hillis out, I'm worried about our running game.  But I've been worried about it all year and Shanny has somehow squeezed rushing yards out of running backs that, well let's be honest,  most people would say  "who is this f'n guy".

The second test is what I'm worried the most about.  How in the world do we stop the beast that is the Carolina running game?  Your thoughts would be appreciated.

This can not be good. They hope to have him back for the season opener.  They are calling it a "clean up" surgery. I have said it before.  I will say it again. I think he might be done.  Not just for the season but for his career.  I was surprised he came back in the first place.  I thought for sure he was going to retire after the bicep injury.  I want to be positive about this.  I always try to stay positive, but this really can't be good.  Somebody make me feel better please!

I have asked this question to a lot of buddies and it makes for a really good debate with few wrong answers.  If you were to build a Mount Rushmore of the NFL, who would you put on there?  Who is your big 4?  I thought about this when Bill Walsh died last year because I thought he would belong on it.  He may not belong but I have/had sooo much respect for that guy and what he did for the game of football.  My big 4 as of today (it changes from time to time) is Walsh, Halas, Hunt, Rozelle.  No players allowed on Mount Rushmore.  That would have to be a whole other monument.